2008 Woodie Awards
Suicide leaves friends, family mourning
By: Breanna Herschelman
Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: News
"As a faculty member, when we're on a campus where suicide is not talked about, it frustrates me to no end," Buday said.
The BASS Club held a suicide awareness event Sept. 6 in the Webster Village Apartments Clubhouse, which featured Webster's Director of Counseling Patrick Stack as guest speaker and showed the controversial documentary "The Bridge." This event coincided with National Suicide Prevention Week, which is Sept. 9-15. This week was designed to encourage all people to learn more about suicide.
Stack said students who do not show the outward signs of depression - like Emily - are keeping their feelings bottled inside.
"When a bubbly person is not showing signs associated with suicide, they're keeping things in," Stack said. "Usually, the person is not sharing with other people the turmoil going on inside of them.
Buday became visibly upset as she recounted her own experiences with attempted suicide in her family. Her brother attempted suicide twice while she was in college.
"That's why it's such an important thing to me that you not ignore suicide," said Buday, speaking to the room. "I think more people need to see this film, it speaks to the people who love the person. It's a powerlessness that you feel."
Junior Marjorie Sackman, a psychology major and vice president of BASS, said the club tries to raise awareness of issues that might be affecting college students.
"We want to get more people involved and aware of what's going on," Sackman said. "We have two to four events a semester and we wanted this one to coincide with National Suicide Prevention Week."
What Webster does to help
Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Ted Hoef said university staff members do a lot of training with resident assistants to look for warning signs. Hoef said in the near future, pamphlets will be distributed to all faculty and staff helping to alert them of commuter students who might be troubled and in need of help.
The BASS Club held a suicide awareness event Sept. 6 in the Webster Village Apartments Clubhouse, which featured Webster's Director of Counseling Patrick Stack as guest speaker and showed the controversial documentary "The Bridge." This event coincided with National Suicide Prevention Week, which is Sept. 9-15. This week was designed to encourage all people to learn more about suicide.
Stack said students who do not show the outward signs of depression - like Emily - are keeping their feelings bottled inside.
"When a bubbly person is not showing signs associated with suicide, they're keeping things in," Stack said. "Usually, the person is not sharing with other people the turmoil going on inside of them.
Buday became visibly upset as she recounted her own experiences with attempted suicide in her family. Her brother attempted suicide twice while she was in college.
"That's why it's such an important thing to me that you not ignore suicide," said Buday, speaking to the room. "I think more people need to see this film, it speaks to the people who love the person. It's a powerlessness that you feel."
Junior Marjorie Sackman, a psychology major and vice president of BASS, said the club tries to raise awareness of issues that might be affecting college students.
"We want to get more people involved and aware of what's going on," Sackman said. "We have two to four events a semester and we wanted this one to coincide with National Suicide Prevention Week."
What Webster does to help
Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Ted Hoef said university staff members do a lot of training with resident assistants to look for warning signs. Hoef said in the near future, pamphlets will be distributed to all faculty and staff helping to alert them of commuter students who might be troubled and in need of help.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 6
Hmm
posted 9/14/07 @ 4:55 PM CST
Isn't suicide typically something newspapers don't cover? I find it very odd to see this top-story news.
...
posted 9/19/07 @ 7:13 PM CST
What I don't understand is the editorial stating respect to her family will be given but "we" need answers. The answers now lie with the beautiful girl who is now gone. (Continued…)
Allison Garegnani
posted 9/28/07 @ 9:38 AM CST
I am Emily's sister, Allison. This is an that needs to be talked about and discussed more...The Journal had our family's permission to write articles about Emily and her death. (Continued…)
jennifer parks
posted 1/14/08 @ 5:40 PM CST
hi allison. i worked with emily at cancun and i just saw the editorial on her . i had no idea that she had passed away. please let your family no how truly sorry i am. (Continued…)
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